Friday, May 25, 2018

PA Ed Policy Roundup May 25: AG DePasquale: Audit of Aspira Inc. Charters Another Example of Why PA Needs Charter School Reform


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AG DePasquale: Audit of Aspira Inc. Charters Another Example of Why PA Needs Charter School Reform


Urges new Philadelphia school board to re-evaluate authorization, management of all charter schools
PA Auditor General’s Website May 23, 2018
PHILADELPHIA (May 23, 2018) – Auditor General Eugene DePasquale today said a recent audit of five Aspira Inc. -managed charter schools in Philadelphia shows a private non-profit management company had nearly total control of the charter schools’ finances and operations with little to no involvement from the public charter schools themselves. “First and foremost, the audit of Aspira Inc. charter schools once again sadly illustrates the desperate need to change Pennsylvania’s charter school law, which is the worst in the nation,” DePasquale said, noting that charter schools receive public education funding but are not subject to accountability and transparency standards. “I know parents want options for the public education of their children, and they must be quality options,” he said. “And we need to be able to conduct full and thorough audits. “In the case of Aspira Inc. the total control of finances and lack of accountability can best be described as the fox guarding the hen house,” he said. “When management companies operate with little to no oversight, the potential is escalated for fraud, waste, and abuse of the public funds intended for students in the schools they manage. At no time, should administrators or other staff employed by the private management company approve their own company’s invoices and transactions. “All for-profit and non-profit charter school management companies should be subject to the state’s Right-to-Know Law to provide another level of transparency and accountability that my team found sorely lacking at Aspira Inc.”

Audit: Aspira charter schools lack transparency, accountability
FOX29 POSTED: MAY 23 2018 12:46PM EDT UPDATED: MAY 23 2018 06:01PM EDT
PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - A new audit finds a lack of governance by charter school boards allowed Philadelphia-based operator Aspira Inc. of Pa. to manage public funds without sufficient accountability. That's one of eight findings in a financial review released Wednesday by Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale’s office. Reduced revenues, persistent operating deficits, poor cash flow and overspent budgets caused the charter schools’ combined general fund balance to plummet from $7.7 million in 2014 to $419,000 in 2016, the document says. Auditors also found a poor organization structure, weak management agreements, a lack of board oversight, and little documentation to support charges to the schools. "Over the three-year review period, Aspira Inc. managed $150 million in public school revenues with little to no oversight," DePasquale summarized. Aspira operates five Philly schools. But in December the School Reform Commission voted to rescind charters for John B. Stetson Middle School and Olney High School, saying they missed academic goals and had financial and management problems.
http://www.fox29.com/news/local-news/audit-aspira-charter-schools-lack-transparency-accountability

Here’s a copy of the Auditor General’s report on ASPIRA managed charter schools
http://www.paauditor.gov/Media/Default/Reports/schAspiraManagedCharterSchools052218.pdf

The Senate has a redistricting bill - if they can keep it | Friday Morning Coffee
Penn Live By John L. Micek jmicek@pennlive.com Updated 7:24 AM; Posted 7:20 AM
Good Friday Morning, Fellow Seekers.
So here's the good news for those well-intentioned folks looking to overhaul the way Pennsylvania draws its congressional boundaries: A critical state Senate committee 
has unanimously advanced a constitutional amendment that would put the process into the hands of a citizens' commission. Sort of. And that's how we segue neatly into the bad news: Legislation that cleared the Senate State Government Committee earlier this week would still leave it to House and Senate leaders, as well as the governor, to pick the panel's membership.  That kind of takes the 'citizen' out of 'citizens commission,' but more on that in a second.  Under the language of a Senate version of the bill that cleared committee on Tuesday (a full Senate vote could come soon), House and Senate leaders would get four picks (two for each party in both chambers), while the governor would get to pick three members. All of them would have to be confirmed by two-thirds vote, rather than the simple majority required for nearly every other piece of legislation.

http://www.pennlive.com/capitol-notebook/2018/05/the_senate_has_a_redistricting.html

Dear Philadelphians of privilege…' | Helen Ubiñas
Inquirer by Helen Ubiñas, STAFF COLUMNIST  @NotesFromHel |  ubinas@philly.com Updated: MAY 24, 2018 — 3:07 PM EDT
I’m doing something today that I’ve never done before — yielding my space to someone else. I don’t make this decision lightly. Having this space is a privilege, especially for a woman of color. It’s why long ago I made the deliberate choice to use this platform to amplify the people and voices that so many choose not to see or hear, or care about. But today I am using it to amplify a message from Maureen Boland, a Philadelphia teacher — a young, middle-class, white woman who not only recognizes her privilege but who has made her own deliberate choice to loudly and bravely use it on behalf of her students. Boland inspired an awakening in her ninth graders, and they in turn are demanding a reckoning of the everyday violence that they face but that so many choose to ignore. This is what an ally — a true ally — looks like.
http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/helen_ubinas/privilege-maureen-boland-parkland-teacher-gun-violence-20180524.html

“A Morning Call analysis shows that 16.3 percent more young people — those ages 18 to 22— are registered to vote in Lehigh and Northampton counties compared to 2014, even though the overall number of registered voters in those counties has only grown by 4.5 percent over that time period.”
Inspired by students in Parkland, Fla., young people want their voices heard at the polls
Morning Call by Michelle Merlin and Eugene Tauber Contact Reporters May 24, 2018
Like many people her age, Kaitlin Wagner had been closely following students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on social media as they called for stricter gun control after the Feb. 14 massacre at their high school, Besides organizing national walkouts and doing media interviews, the Parkland, Fla., students encouraged young people to register to vote, telling them if elected officials won’t listen to them, they can harness their collective power and vote them out. Their rallying cry worked. By early March, Wagner, who turned 18 in January, had registered as a Democrat with several friends who had birthdays around the same time. She cast her first vote on May 15 in the Pennsylvania primary. “If they could have a national impact, it shows what an impact every single one of us could make,” she said.
http://www.mcall.com/news/education/mc-nws-youth-voter-registration-high-20180516-story.html

Court: School can let trans students use bathroom of choice
Delco Times By The Associated Press POSTED: 05/24/18, 4:12 PM EDT
PHILADELPHIA >> An appeals court says a Pennsylvania school district can allow transgender students to use the bathroom and locker room of the sex with which they identify. A panel of federal appeals judges affirmed a lower court’s ruling on Thursday in Philadelphia. A student at the Boyertown School District and a conservative group brought the lawsuit saying the district was violating his constitutional privacy rights. Three other students joined the lawsuit. Lawyers for the district say they’ve made reasonable accommodations so no one is forced to forfeit their privacy. They also say the district faces an equal protection claim if it doesn’t continue allowing transgender students to use the bathroom of their choice. In a rare move, the judges made a preliminary ruling from the bench with the idea of issuing a written ruling later Thursday.
http://www.delcotimes.com/general-news/20180524/court-school-can-let-trans-students-use-bathroom-of-choice

Federal court OKs Boyertown schools' policy letting transgender students use bathrooms of their choice
Inquirer by Jeremy Roebuck, Staff Writer  @jeremyrroebuck |  jroebuck@phillynews.com Updated: MAY 24, 2018 — 3:37 PM EDT
A federal appellate court in Philadelphia has upheld the Boyertown School District’s policy allowing transgender students to use school bathrooms and locker rooms that conform with their gender identity. In an unusual step, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued its unanimous decision Thursday less than an hour after lawyers had argued their case before a three-judge panel. Circuit Judge Theodore McKee said he and his colleagues – Judges Patty Shwartz and Richard Lowell Nygaard – recognized how important the case was to students at Boyertown Area Senior High School and wanted to resolve the issue before the students at the heart of the case, many of them seniors, graduated later this month. Reading an order from the bench, McKee said that the judges agreed with the lower court that found the privacy of four students who sued the district in the Berks County borough last year had not been violated by administrators’ decision to allow transgender students into the bathrooms and locker rooms of their choice. “We agree that the plaintiffs have not demonstrated a likelihood of success,” McKee said, reading from the bench, “and that they have not demonstrated that they will be irreparably harmed.”
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/federal-appeals-court-oks-boyertown-schools-policy-letting-transgender-students-bathrooms-20180524.html

SRC approves $3 billion FY19 budget with fund balance, counting on more money from city
With new city money, officials now forecast fund balances, instead of deficits, through 2023.
The notebook Dale Mezzacappa and Avi Wolfman-Arent May 24 — 9:35 pm, 2018
SRC Chairwoman Estelle Richman said she didn’t think Philadelphia Hebrew was the type of charter the District should be prioritizing and argued that its addition would hurt the school system’s already precarious financial position, but voted for its approval anyway at the board's May 24 meeting. In what was likely its penultimate meeting, Philadelphia School Reform Commission (SRC) approved the school district’s $3 billion budget for fiscal year 2019 while debating, in candid terms, whether Mayor Jim Kenney could deliver a promised tax increase that would firm up District finances. Three of the four remaining commissioners approved the budget, noting that it was only for next year and that the District is on solid financial footing for at least that long, regardless of the city’s actions. Commissioner Bill Green cast the lone “no” vote on the budget, arguing that it was irresponsible to approve a financial plan while City Council continues to debate raising property tax rates. He noted that many of the investments in the 2018-19 budget are attached to a five-year plan that assumes City Council will approve Kenney’s proposed tax hike.
http://thenotebook.org/articles/2018/05/24/src-approves-3-billion-fy19-budget-with-fund-balance-counting-on-more-money-from-city/

SRC adopts $3.2B Philly school budget - with question marks
Inquirer by Maddie Hanna & Kristen A. Graham - Staff Writers Updated: MAY 24, 2018  8:59 PM
The School Reform Commission on Thursday night adopted a $3.2 billion budget that provides for some new teachers and building repairs — but comes with an asterisk appended. To enact the spending plan, the Philadelphia School District is still banking on what Mayor Kenney proposed in March: $700 million in new money from the city funded in part through a property tax increase. City Council, however, has balked at that sum, saying that taxpayers are already overburdened. Council has until June 30 to adopt its budget, so in a way, Thursday’s action by a lame-duck SRC could be a placeholder. If all of the new city money does not come through, district officials said an accelerated plan to fix the district’s aging, and in spots environmentally problematic, buildings would be jeopardized. That $150 million plan, which includes an expanded lead paint abatement program, “is desperately needed,” Uri Monson, the district’s chief financial officer, said as he outlined the budget to the commission.
http://www.philly.com/philly/education/src-adopts-3-2b-philly-school-budget-with-question-marks-20180524.html

See the arts in action at community schools
Over the next three weeks, community members and students can participate in Arts in Action, a selection of cultural activities hosted by the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy and the Mayor’s Office of Education.
The notebook May 24 — 12:58 pm, 2018
Through June 7, community members and students can participate in Arts in Action, a selection of cultural activities hosted by the city’s Office of Arts, Culture & the Creative Economy and the Mayor’s Office of Education. The 2018 Community Survey on Education found that participants rated school climate and investing in music and arts curriculum as the most important areas for the School District to improve. Among parents of children attending schools in the District and students, investing in music and arts curriculum was the top response. The Arts in Action: Community Schools Series was initiated in direct response to the survey results. It will include dance workshops, concerts, puppet and live theater, and a community art exhibition.  Community schools are public schools that have full-time coordinators who work with the city and with service providers to address needs and bring resources to the school, such as medical services or job training, for families, students, and neighbors.
http://thenotebook.org/articles/2018/05/24/see-the-arts-in-action-at-community-schools/

Getting On Track to Graduation: Ninth Graders’ Credit Accumulation in the School District of Philadelphia, 2014-2016
 Download Publication
Authors:  Molly Crofton,  Ruth Curran Neild
Publication Date: May 2018
Associated Project The Philadelphia Education Research Consortium (PERC)
Abstract: PERC’s report retroactively applies the School District of Philadelphia’s new Ninth Grade On-Track Definition to two ninth-grade SDP cohorts to determine the number of students on track to graduation, the characteristics of on- and off-track students, and how on-track rates differ across high schools. This analysis provides a benchmark against which progress can be measured, identifies characteristics of students and schools that might need additional support, and has timely implications for policy and practice.
https://www.researchforaction.org/publications/getting-on-track-to-graduation-ninth-graders-credit-accumulation-in-the-school-district-of-philadelphia-2014-2016/

Superintendents call on state to help manage student mental health demands
Meadville Tribune By John Finnerty CNHI News Service May 24, 2018
HARRISBURG — As lawmakers strain to find answers to make schools more safe, a group of superintendents came to the Capitol to talk about the challenges facing public schools recognizing and responding to mental health issues of students. School leaders are torn between the conflicting goals of making schools more secure and the expectation that staff build a rapport with students, said Superintendent David Lehman of the Conemaugh Valley School District in Cambria County. Lehman said that the push to “harden” schools to make them safer from outside attacks could interfere with efforts to make school climate conducive to learning. “I don’t know how you do that if you want your school to be nurturing and caring. I don’t know that I want my school to look like an airport,” he said. “Do we want to arm teachers with books or guns?” The issue of how schools react to the mental health needs of students has emerged as a key focal point in the state’s consideration of how to respond to try to prevent school shootings, school leaders and lawmakers said Wednesday. Lehman and other administrators told lawmakers on the Senate judiciary committee that the state needs to provide schools with ongoing funding to hire more social workers and guidance counselors to respond to the emotional and mental health needs of students.
http://www.meadvilletribune.com/news/superintendents-call-on-state-to-help-manage-student-mental-health/article_ef8b754d-732c-5e14-99e2-1b05b049d895.html

Governor Wolf Announces $1.6 Million for Troops for Teachers Program
Governor Wolf Press Release May 24, 2018
Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf today announced that his administration has secured a $1.6 million, 5-year Troops to Teachers grant. The program, managed by the Department of Defense’s Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES), makes federal funding available to recruit and help military veterans who are considering a career in teaching. “Pennsylvania has a proud military heritage and is home to many tremendous veterans who want to continue serving their community,” said Governor Wolf. “The Troops for Teachers program is a great way for veterans to bring their knowledge and skills to our classrooms, which benefits veterans and our students.” Under the state’s Troops to Teachers program, veterans who are interested in pursuing a career in teaching are provided with counseling services on teacher education requirements and programs, as well as guidance around the teacher certification process and referrals to employment opportunities. In some cases, veterans are eligible for bonuses if they choose to teach in a high-need school.
https://www.governor.pa.gov/governor-wolf-announces-1-6-million-troops-teachers-program/

Threat reporting program is worthwhile, but more needs to be done to ensure safety of Pennsylvania students
Lancaster Online by THE LNP EDITORIAL BOARD May 25, 2018
THE ISSUE -  Republican state Sen. Scott Martin, of Martic Township, is a prime sponsor of Senate Bill 1142, which would establish a state program enabling students, parents and school staff to anonymously report violent activities and potential threats. As LNP’s Sam Janesch reported Wednesday, the Safe2Say program would allow anyone to submit a tip by phone or online directly to the state attorney general’s office. That office would coordinate with local — and if necessary, federal — law enforcement to investigate. The bill’s Democratic supporters include state Attorney General Josh Shapiro.Safe2Say is modeled after a program in Colorado that received 9,163 reports in the 2016-17 school year. It’s a start, and we welcome it. Making it easier to report worrying behavior or social media posts or overheard conversations — and to a source that will take such reports seriously — strikes us as common sense. Too often in the aftermath of school shootings, we read that people had worried about the behavior of the culprit but either hadn’t reported it, or there was no follow-up after they did. As Sen. Martin said at a press conference Tuesday at the state Capitol: “In the hours and the days and the weeks after any of these tragedies, information comes to light — things that were missed, signs that were shown, Facebook pages making various types of threats or pictures of weapons or explosives. All too often we ask ourselves, ‘Why was this missed?’ ”
https://lancasteronline.com/opinion/editorials/threat-reporting-program-is-worthwhile-but-more-needs-to-be/article_a9ddc5b8-5fb0-11e8-9281-ffcd0fecb52e.html

New institute will enhance public education in PA
The Institute for Educational Governance and Leadership promises to enhance children’s education through thought leadership and research.
PSBA Website May 24, 2018
Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts grapple daily with complex issues of educational quality, safety, equity, and oversight. A new partnership—the first of its kind in Pennsylvania—will provide vital research and thought leadership to inform the policies and decisions that define children’s education in the state. The Institute for Educational Governance and Leadership (IEGL) has been established by Lebanon Valley College, CM Regent Insurance Company, CM CARES (Church Mutual Insurance Company Foundation), Pennsylvania Public Education Foundation, and the Pennsylvania School Boards Association. IEGL will be a statewide resource for accurate, timely, and credible information about public education, its governance, and its importance in Pennsylvania. “IEGL represents a unique partnership among an institution of higher education, a private sector company, and an association,” said Nathan Mains, PSBA executive director. “It will leverage PSBA’s existing leadership in providing relevant training and information to public school decision makers.” Housed at Lebanon Valley College and under the leadership of a director soon to be appointed, IEGL will provide up-to-date data and analyses on education finance, governance, equity, and leadership issues. An equity summit will be held October 16 to help school leaders develop plans and programs to address educator equity, social-emotional learning, community and family engagement, and more.
https://www.psba.org/2018/05/iegl-launch/

Easton Area passes budget with 2.26 percent tax increase
By Harrison Cann Of The Morning Call May 24, 2015
The Easton Area School Board adopted a final $155 million budget for the 2018-19 school year with a 2.26 percent tax hike. Under the tax hike to 63.09 mills, the owner of a home assessed at $62,000— the average home in the district— can expect an annual increase of about $85, or $7 a month. The spending plan is $7.4 million higher than this year’s outlay. Board members approved the budget with a 7-1 vote. The major items driving the increase are teacher salary and retirement costs, capital projects, charter school costs, and intermediate unit costs. Chief Operating Officer Michael Simonetta said $3.9 million is going toward Public School Employees Retirement System and Social Security costs and salaries. That includes funding for three to four additional teaching positions.
http://www.mcall.com/news/education/mc-nws-easton-passes-budget-20180523-story.html

Peters Township school board approves budget with tax hike
Post-Gazette by DEANA CARPENTER MAY 24, 2018 11:31 AM
A $65,850,181 proposed final budget for the 2018-19 school year that includes a tax increase was adopted by the Peters Township School Board at its May 21 meeting. The tax rate in the school district will go from 13.19 mills to 13.50 mills, or $31 per every $100,000 of assessed property value. The increase is mainly to help offset the cost of constructing the new Peters Township High School. A final budget is anticipated to be adopted by the board at its June 25 meeting. Also at the May 21 meeting, the board approved the district’s annual school resource officer agreement between the district and the Peters Township Police Department.
http://www.post-gazette.com/local/washington/2018/05/24/Peters-Township-school-board-approves-budget-with-tax-hike/stories/201805240026

Gateway school board approves proposed budget with tax increase
Property owners in the Gateway School District will likely see an increase in the real estate tax rate for the 2018-19 school year. The school board on Monday unanimously approved a proposed $75.7 million budget for the upcoming school year that includes a 0.5411-mill increase, bringing the tax rate to 19.8675 mills, or about $1,987 per $100,000 of assessed property value. The board will hold a public hearing on the budget at 6 p.m. June 5 in the LGI room at Gateway High School. Final budget adoption is scheduled at the board’s regular meeting at 7 p.m. June 27. “None of us take it lightly to raise taxes, especially myself,” said board Vice President Mary Beth Cirucci. “The state, in my opinion, is not coming through the way they need to,” she said, adding that the district must either cut programs or raise taxes. She said the board is committed to looking at finding “creative ways” of saving money in the future. “Our overall goal is to save money without cutting programs for our kids,” Ms. Cirucci said.
http://www.post-gazette.com/local/east/2018/05/24/Gateway-school-board-approves-proposed-budget-with-tax-increase/stories/201805240016

Baldwin-Whitehall schools proposed budget contains tax hike -- but it could go higher
Post-Gazette by  MARGARET SMYKLA MAY 24, 2018 11:30 AM
The Baldwin-Whitehall School District’s proposed operating budget for 2018-19 includes a 2.3 percent property tax increase — but that could go higher before the board’s final budget vote on June 13. The proposed $67.71 million budget contains a 0.47-mill tax increase, which would generate an additional $880,000. But board member Karen Brown said early this month that she believes what is needed is a tax increase of 0.63 mill — the maximum property tax increase the district is allowed by the state without a granted exception. A 0.63-mill increase would bring in an additional $288,000. Ms. Brown cited these reasons for a higher tax increase: track and turf resurfacing at the high school stadium; capital improvements needed in all of the district’s schools, as determined by a facilities study; and a projected increase in enrollment. “There’s more work to be done,” she said of the budget. Superintendent Randal Lutz said additional projected expenses could prompt him to recommend the higher millage rate. Major budget changes from 2017-18 to 2018-19 include a $350,000 increase in the district’s state-mandated pension costs; $575,000 in salary increases; $350,000 for debt service; and $300,000 more for special education. The district has had an increase of 180 special education students over the past three years.
http://www.post-gazette.com/local/south/2018/05/24/Baldwin-Whitehall-schools-proposed-budget-contains-tax-hike-but-it-could-go-higher/stories/201805240022

Chartiers Valley approves preliminary budget with tax increase
Post-Gazette by DEANA CARPENTER MAY 24, 2018 11:16 AM
Although the school board approved a $66.8 million proposed budget with a 0.4643 mill tax increase, directors say there’s still work to be done on it.  “The budget still shows a $1.7 million deficit,” said Frosina Cordisco, acting finance director for Chartiers Valley. The tax increase brings millage up to 17.0710 mills, or about $1,700 on every $100,000 of assessed property value. The board approved the proposed final budget by a vote of 6-0 at its May 22 meeting, which was attended by nearly 50 teachers who were concerned about possible furloughs. Board members Mark Kuczinski and Julie Murphy were absent and Brian Kopec abstained.
http://www.post-gazette.com/local/west/2018/05/24/Chartiers-Valley-School-district-budget-tax-increase/stories/201805240027

Koch brothers group targets Pennsylvania Senate candidate, and it's not Bob Casey
Morning Call by Jonathan Tamari Philly.com (TNS) May 24, 2018
In an unusual political twist, a major conservative group is taking aim at U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, the Pennsylvania Republican who is the party's nominee in a key U.S. Senaterace. Americans for Prosperity, which supports limited government, is taking out ads targeting 17 House members in both parties who supported a $1.3 trillion spending bill Congress passed in March. In hitting Barletta, it could hurt a GOP underdog who is battling U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa. — and who is counting on conservative advocacy groups to help counter a significant fund-raising gap. Instead, Barletta is taking friendly fire from an expected ally seeking to punish lawmakers who it argues have strayed from conservative fiscal principles. The only other Pennsylvanian targeted is U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, the state's most vulnerable Democratic congressman. The ads are set to begin running over Memorial Day weekend
http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/pennsylvania/mc-nws-koch-brothers-pennsylvania-senate-lou-barletta-20180524-story.html


Apply Now for EPLC's 2018-2019 PA Education Policy Fellowship Program!
Applications are available now for the 2018-2019 Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP).  The Education Policy Fellowship Program is sponsored in Pennsylvania by The Education Policy and Leadership Center (EPLC). 
With more than 500 graduates in its first eighteen years, this Program is a premier professional development opportunity for educators, state and local policymakers, advocates, and community leaders.  State Board of Accountancy (SBA) credits are available to certified public accountants.
Past participants include state policymakers, district superintendents and principals, school business officers, school board members, education deans/chairs, statewide association leaders, parent leaders, education advocates, and other education and community leaders. Fellows are typically sponsored by their employer or another organization. The Fellowship Program begins with a two-day retreat on September 13-14, 2018 and continues to graduation in June 2019.
Applications are being accepted now.
Click here to read more about the Education Policy Fellowship Program.
The application may be copied from the EPLC web site, but must be submitted by mail or scanned and e-mailed, with the necessary signatures of applicant and sponsor.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of the Fellowship Program and its requirements, please contact EPLC Executive Director Ron Cowell at 717-260-9900 or cowell@eplc.org.

Join with EdVotersPA and PCCY for Capitol Caravan Days and fight for our public schools! When: 9:00-3:00 on June 12 or June 20 (your choice!)
Where: The Harrisburg Capitol
Why: To show state lawmakers that their constituents expect them to support public school students in the '18-19 budget

Education Voters of PA joining together with Pennsylvania Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY) for a lobby day in Harrisburg. Join a team and meet with your state legislators and legislative leaders to talk about how the state can support K-12 students in the state budget.
Register Here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdrk24gH61bp7Zjy_JFpIELPYcEvXx05Ld4-_CPltQYyqLSPw/viewform

POWER 100% SCHOOL FUNDING Day of Action Wednesday, June 20th at 1 PM at the PA Capitol
On Wednesday, June 20th at 1 PM, students, parents, community activists, and faith leaders from different traditions will gather on the steps of the State Capitol Main Rotunda for POWER’s 100% SCHOOL FUNDING Day of Action to demand support for legislation to put 100% of the Commonwealth's Basic Education Budget through PA's Fair Funding Formula. We ask you to join us as we stand in solidarity with one another and continue demanding fair and fully funded education for Pennsylvania’s public school students. In addition to a large rally, we will march to Governor Tom Wolfe's office to pray for his support for 100% through the Formula. Join us as we hold meetings that day with our legislators asking each one to speak out in favor of POWER's 100% plan.
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/100-school-funding-day-of-action-tickets-46143414194?utm-medium=discovery&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&aff=esfb&utm-source=fb&utm-term=listing

EquityFirst #CivilFundingWar Meeting on Education Funding
EquityFirst and The Citizens for Fair School Funding
Harrisburg, PA Monday, June 4, 2018 from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM (EDT)
PENNSYLVANIA KNOWINGLY UNDERFUNDS POOR, MINORITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS BY MILLIONS
Harrisburg School District is underfunded by $31.77 million $38 million! Every Year in Basic and Special Education Funding
JOIN US FOR A PUBLIC MEETING TO LEARN ABOUT HOW WE CAN FIX THIS!
Monday, June 4, 2018 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Meeting Light Refreshments will be served.
Living Water Community Church 206 Oakleigh Avenue, Harrisburg, PA
For more information contact: Shelly@SupportEquityFirst.org or 717.623.0909 or visit www.SupportEquityFirst.org.
Register Here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/equityfirst-civilfundingwar-meeting-on-education-funding-tickets-46197055637

Nominations for PSBA’s Allwein Advocacy Award
PSBA Website May 14, 2018
The Timothy M. Allwein Advocacy Award was established in 2011 by the Pennsylvania School Boards Association and may be presented annually to the individual school director or entire school board to recognize outstanding leadership in legislative advocacy efforts on behalf of public education and students that are consistent with the positions in PSBA’s Legislative Platform. In addition to being a highly respected lobbyist, Timothy Allwein served to help our members be effective advocates in their own right. Many have said that Tim inspired them to become active in our Legislative Action Program and to develop personal working relationships with their legislators. The 2018 Allwein Award nomination process will begin on Monday, May 14, 2018. The application due date is July 16, 2018 in the honor of Tim’s birth date of July 16.
Download the Application

https://www.psba.org/2018/05/nominations-allwein-advocacy-award/

Electing PSBA Officers:  Applications Due by June 1st
Do you have strong communication and leadership skills and a vision for PSBA? Members interested in becoming the next leaders of PSBA are encouraged to submit an Application for Nomination no later than June 1, 11:59 p.m., to PSBA's Leadership Development Committee (LDC). The nomination process
All persons seeking nomination for elected positions of the Association shall send applications to the attention of the chair of the Leadership Development Committee, during the months of April and May an Application for Nomination to be provided by the Association expressing interest in the office sought. “The Application for nomination shall be marked received at PSBA Headquarters or mailed first class and postmarked by June 1 to be considered and timely filed.” (PSBA Bylaws, Article IV, Section 5.E.).
Open positions are:
In addition to the application form, PSBA Governing Board Policy 302 asks that all candidates furnish with their application a recent, print quality photograph and letters of application. The application form specifies no less than three letters of recommendation and no more than four, and are specifically requested as follows:
https://www.psba.org/2018/03/electing-psba-officers/

the notebook Annual Celebration - June 5, 2018 - New Location!
Please join us on June 5, 2018, at the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia! Please note the new location!
Buy your tickets today!
Every June, 400 public school supporters gather in celebration at the end of the school year. This festive event features awards for outstanding high school journalism, talented local musicians, a silent auction, and the opportunity to speak with the most influential voices in the local education community. This year, the Notebook staff and board of directors would like to honor public education advocates who are committed to our mission of advancing quality and equity in our city’s schools.
Our Honorees:
Debra Weiner - A longtime advocate for public education at a variety of nonprofit organizations and higher education institutions, and a member of the Notebook’s editorial advisory board

Mary Goldman - Former 27th Ward Leader and advocate for children and public schools
Our City Our Schools - A coalition of local grassroots organizations that campaigned to return the school board to local control
The event will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 5, at the National Museum of American Jewish History.
http://thenotebook.org/annual-fundraiser

BRIEFING: PUBLIC EDUCATION FUNDING IN PENNSYLVANIA
IN PHILLY, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 2018, 8:30-10:00 A.M.
Join Law Center attorneys Michael Churchill, Jennifer Clarke, and Dan Urevick-Ackelsberg for a free briefing on the state of education funding in Pennsylvania. They’ll cover the basics of education funding, our fair school funding lawsuit, the property tax elimination bill, the 2018-2019 state budget, and more! RSVP online here. The briefing will be held on Wednesday, June 13th at 8:30 a.m. at 1709 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103.
Download a flyer for this event.
https://www.pubintlaw.org/events/briefing-public-education-funding-in-pennsylvania-2/


MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD! Join the PA Principals Association, the PA Association of School Administrators and the PA Association of Rural and Small Schools for PA Education Leaders Advocacy Day at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, June 19, 2018, at the Capitol in Harrisburg, PA.  
A rally in support of public education and important education issues will be held on the Main Rotunda Steps from 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.
Visits with legislators will be conducted earlier in the day. More information will be sent via email, shared in our publications and posted on our website closer to the event.
To register, send an email to Dr. Joseph Clapper at clapper@paprincipals.org before Friday, June 8, 2018.
Click here to view the PA Education Leaders Advocacy Day 2018 Save The Date Flyer (INCLUDES EVENT SCHEDULE AND IMPORTANT ISSUES.) 

SAVE THE DATE for the 2018 PA Educational Leadership Summit - July 29-31 - State College, PA sponsored by the PA Principals Association, PASA, PAMLE and PASCD.  
This year's Summit will be held from July 29-31, 2018 at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, State College, PA.

Save the Dates PASA/PSBA School Leadership Conference – Hershey, Oct. 17-19, 2018 
Mark your calendar! The Delegate Assembly will take place Friday, Oct. 19, 2018, at 2:30 p.m.
Housing now open!

Our Public Schools Our Democracy: Our Fight for the Future
NPE / NPE Action 5th Annual National Conference
October 20th - 21st, 2018 Indianapolis, Indiana
We are delighted to let you know that you can purchase your discounted Early Bird ticket to register for our annual conference starting today. Purchase your ticket here.
Early Bird tickets will be on sale until May 30 or until all are sold out, so don't wait.  These tickets are a great price--$135. Not only do they offer conference admission, they also include breakfast and lunch on Saturday, and brunch on Sunday. Please don't forget to register for your hotel room. We have secured discounted rates on a limited basis. You can find that link here. Finally, if you require additional financial support to attend, we do offer some scholarships based on need. Go here and fill in an application. We will get back to you as soon as we can. Please join us in Indianapolis as we fight for the public schools that our children and communities deserve. Don't forget to get your Early Bird ticket here. We can't wait to see you.


Any comments contained herein are my comments, alone, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of any other person or organization that I may be affiliated with.


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